1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system, method, apparatus and program for collecting and providing information, and, more particularly, to a system, method, apparatus and program for collecting status information of products and providing suggestion information in accordance with the status information.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known systems for collecting information representing, for example, the status of an image data processor (such as a copier) through a communications network (such as a Public Switched Telephone Network or APSTN@). In such a system a center collects, customer by customer, information representing the number of documents to be copied and the number of papers used for copying. The collected information is usually used for calculating the maintenance service charge for the copiers.
A technique to which the above system is applied is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2000-49998. According to this technique, an image formation device may obtain information regarding an optional function from a center. Thus, a user can test the optional function or update the software before using the optional function.
In the above technique, the center provides the user with information regarding the optional function only when the user requests such information. Therefore, this known technique is not suitable for situations in which the manufacturer or vender may want to voluntarily present or suggest information. Further, the technique is applicable to the case where to update the currently-used image formation device without replacing it with another device.